Noting that the third and “final opportunity” given to Congress veteran to present his case had been closed, the Delhi High Court Friday dismissed a plea by N D Tiwari to “explore” the possibilities of an “amicable” out-of-court settlement in a paternity suit filed in 2008 by a youth seeking to declare Tiwari as his biological father.

“With whom you want to mediate? They should also be ready and agreeable to consider your offer,” Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said after 32-year-old Rohit Shekhar and his mother Ujjwala Sharma said that they did not consent to the offer and would like to contest it. “I may seek fresh instruction if Mr Tiwari is willing to suffer a declaration decree that he is the biological father of my client,” the Rohit’s lawyer said. The court took note of the submissions and fixed the case in the list of final hearing on April 21.

However, Tiwari’s counsel reiterated that he was still willing to go for the mediation. The Congress leader had so far refused to settle the case out of court, saying there is a possibility that the medical evidence is not 100 per cent accurate.